Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Arizona Expands “All About Healthy Living” Patch Program To Girl Scouts Of Southern Arizona

Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Newswire/ -- The state's largest locally-owned health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), is expanding it's All About Healthy Living Girl Scout patch program to youth in Southern Arizona. The program, which initially launched one-year ago in partnership with the Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, will now be available statewide. Through this initiative, Girl Scouts - from Daisies to Ambassadors - will learn about several important aspects of wellness, including fitness, community, friendship, career and general health (see also Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona).

The All About Healthy Living patch is a one-of-a-kind collaboration and will be unveiled to the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSSoAz) during their World Thinking Day events in Pinal County on March 10 and Pima County on March 11. This patch program is the most comprehensive of its kind, providing progressive, age-appropriate, hands-on learning opportunities for girls from K to 12. It also incorporates a spectrum of activities focusing on key aspects of wellness with more than 70 local community organizations around the state.

"It's critical that we empower our youth with lifelong health and wellness habits. The All About Health Living program outlines simple and meaningful steps the girls can take today-steps to help them grow into healthier adults. We are proud of our partnership with the Girl Scouts as the program will reach more than 7,500 Girl Scouts statewide," said Jennifer Kaufman, vice president of marketing at BCBSAZ.

A Girl Scout will receive the All About Healthy Living patch when she participates in World Thinking Day and then must successfully complete an activity in each of the five wellness categories to earn a "rocker" for that category. Once earned, these "rockers" are placed around the outside of the All About Healthy Living patch. The five "rocker" categories are fitness, friends, community, future and health.

"Since its founding, Girl Scouts has believed health, nutrition and fitness were essential to the Girl Scout Experience. We are grateful for community partners like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona for supporting our girls and making such a large impact on our community," said Debbie Rich, Chief Executive Officer, Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. "Girl Scouts hike, run, camp, play soccer and basketball and learn how to create healthy meals-preparing them for lifelong healthy living. This badge encompasses all these skills and more."

This Girl Scout initiative is one of many community efforts that BCBSAZ supports under its Nourishing Arizona program. Through the Nourishing Arizona program, BCBSAZ educates communities across the state about making better food choices and preventing chronic health conditions. Helping Arizona families build active lifestyles and form lifelong healthy habits remains a significant focus for the not-for-profit company.

For more information on BCBSAZ support for the Girl Scouts' All About Healthy Living program, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.nourishingarizona.com/" nNourishingArizona.com or HYPERLINK "http://www.girlscoutssoaz.org/" ngirlscoutssoaz.org .

Keywords for this news article include: Wellness, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.